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R G.. A-l & Cu Al v MOISTENING .CHAMBER FOR TOBAGO ORDERING APPARATUS.

Patented Apr. 3, 1894.

GUsTAvUs' A. PERLE AND CHARLES A. PEPLE, or RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, As sIeNoRs To THE MAYO-TOBACCO DRYINC AND ORDERING COMPANY,l

oF SAMEV PLACE.

NITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE- 'MOISTENING-CHAMBER FOR TOBACCO-ORDERING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,825, dated April 3, 1894.

Application filed January 14, 1893. Serial No. 4581409. (No model.)

To all whom it may conoermy l Be it known that we, GUsTAvUs A. PEPLE and CHARLES A. PEPLE, of Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improve` ments in Moistening-Chambers for Tobacco- Ordering Apparatus; and we do hereby declare the following tobe afull, clear, and ex# act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in moisteningchambers for tobacco ordering apparatus, and it has reference to a portion of the invention disclosed but not claimed in appication, Serial No. 443,294, filed August 17, 1 92.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of our improved apparatus and Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, and Fig. 3 is a detail.

A represents the mois'teningchamber. This may be made in any shape and of any material desired but preferably it is rectangular.

in cross section. The Chamber is open at the top and bottom for the passage of air through it. In order to moisten the air as it passes up through the chamber, the usual moistening cloths 1, 1, are extended side by side from the upper to the lower end of chamber, where they are passed over rods 2, 2, or other supports ywhich keep them in position. In placing these cloths in position sufficient space is left between them to allow the air to freely circulate and at the same time they are near enough together to thoroughly moisten the air' as it passes. The cloths are kept saturated by a constant sprinkling which takes place at their upper ends. This is conveniently done by means of a system of pipes such as we have illustrated in Fig. 2. In this view a water main 3 is shown locatedat one side of the chamber. This main is supplied constantly with water from a supply pipe 4, the head of water being regulated by a valve 5. From the main 3, branch pipes 6, 6, extend on opposite sides of the chamberA and perforated sprinkling pipes 7, 7, extend from one of these pipes 6 to the other, passing through the chamber, and one between the two folds of each cloth 1. Valves 8, 8, are usually placed in each of the pipes 6, 6, so that the water supply may be regulated or confined toeither of the pipes 6 if desired. I-Ieretofore thisfeed has generally been confined to one side only but we find that the results are more satlsfactory, if the perforated or sprinkling pIpes are supplied from both ends.

For various reasons, such as increasing` evaporation and restoring the lostheat of the air in its upward passage through the molstening chamber, we provide heating coils or steam radiators at suitable points in the chamber. There may be one or more sets of coils as at 10, 10, as thev case may be and to have them out of the way they are located in the off-sets or lateral chambers 11, 11, as shown in Fig. l. When two .or more of these sets of coils are used they may be connected outside by means of pipes 12, 12, and 1n order to prevent radiation from the off-sets or lateral chambers they may be linedin the usual way with asbestus or any other suitable material.

stretched across between the coils and the cloths.

Itis sometimes desirable to utilize the device as a cooling chamber. For this reason we provide the radiator or radiators with a valve or valves for shutting off the steam supply. By so doing all heat is excluded from the chamber and the air is merely cooledand moisteued. The air is fed or forced into the lower end of the chamber by means of fans not shown or it may be suckedv through by means of suction fans located at the upperend orin any other convenient manner. In con- Clusion it may be explained that the air which enters the lower end of the moistening chamber at acertain temperature becomes reduced in temperature by virture of its Contact with y Also to prevent water from dripping orsplashkingonto the coils, the wire gauze 13 may be the wet cloths and its absorption of moisture. Y

coils heat the cloths at these points and in-I crease evaporation and the moisture thus created is absorbed by the passing air and by the time it is discharged from the chamberis 1n condition for eiecting the best results.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described Without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention and hence we would have it understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact construction herein set forth, but,

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination With a chamber through which air is circulated, and cloths extending longitudinally through said chamber with Spaces between them for the circulation of air, of a main,branch pipes leading from the main on each side of the chamber, valves in the branch pipes, and sprinkling pipes having perforations therein, said sprinkling pipes extending across through the chamber and cloths from one branch pipe to the other, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a chamber having radiators at the sides thereof `for supplying heat to the chamber, of cloths extending through the chamber, and perforated sprinkling pipes for supplying water to the cloths, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a chamberhaving lateral recesses, radiators in these recesses, and Wire gauze extending across the mouths of the recesses, of moistening cloths, and sprinkling pipes located at the upper Aends of the cloths for supplying moisture to them, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof We havesigned this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAVUS A. PEPLE. CHARLES A. PEPLE.

Witnesses:

DEANE MAURY, WM. H, CHRISTIAN. 

